Day 16 - Uluru

We were up early this morning to catch the 8am ranger guided walk around Uluru. We arrived but there didn’t seem to be anyone else around and a sign that stated the guided walk wasn’t until 10am. We started the walk ourselves with the Mala track followed by the base walk which was a 10km walk around the entire rock! After the Mala walk Aiden needed a toilet stop so Pete & he walked off to catch up with us later! The walk was a flat track and there were information plaques along the way about the different caves and areas of which the Mala people lived. There were some aboriginal paintings still on the rock which we were able to capture.

One thing about the rock that still blows Phil and I away are how different it is to what we had imagined from images etc. It is not a long flat rock, it has many peaks and troughs and is not smooth. There are caves and bits that stick out and it is not oval in shape! The shear size of it is also mind blowing. We both expected it to be big but nowhere near that big! Joel was messaging me and had a good point when I had told him we could see quite a bit of it from 150kms out, he said that would be like being able to see Nowra from Sydney! Its hard to fathom really.

Some facts about Uluru from our visitors guide told us that Uluru is just the tip of a huge slab of rock which continue below the ground for possibly 5-6kms. It is 3.6kms long and 348m at its tallest point which is 43m higher than Sydney’s Centrepoint tower!   

Along the walk Amelias little legs got tired and she took turns on Ella, Emma (not me) and Lea’s backs, as well as Nels and Glens shoulders. Aiden and Pete finally caught back up to us!

After the walk we got some more rain. Phil and I went to the Cultural center with the spooners however since most of the information available was what was read on the walk around Uluru, we left. We had a quick drive around town, found the Outback Pioneer Bar and had a drink or two decided that we would come back for dinner as there was a restaurant where we could cook our own meat!

 

Its okay, Ella didnt fall, she was being cheeky to uncle Phil so he tickled her to the floor. 

Back to camp for showers and we got ready for dinner, it would just be the two Briscoe clans tonight. As we arrived and ordered some drinks we waited for the kiosk to open for the kids meals. Us adults chose our meals with Nel choosing T-bone, myself having the lamb rump and Pete & Phil choosing a trio of Kangaroo, Emu sausage and crocodile tail. The boys cooked up and we all helped ourselves to the veggie and salad bar! I tried Phils emu and crocodile (I had tried crocodile earlier this trip) and didn’t mind them both. I already know that I do not like Kangaroo so did not try that one. The emu wasn’t bad but tasted more like an overseasoned sausage to me, I wouldn’t choose it as a meal for myself at a restaurant. I do however quite like crocodile, both times its tasted like fish to me.

We finished dinner and went back for an early bed! It was a big day having been up early and doing the 10km walk, we were all stuffed! I did however later find some selfies that Miss Ella took on my phone. 

Pack up day again tomorrow, off to Alice Springs for a night to stock up for our trek home!